How Sreyashi Das upskilled her career while working for Netflix
Sreyashi Das is a 2022 graduate of the Master of Computer Science in Data Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She’s a senior data engineer at Netflix who prepared to enhance her specialty by building her skills in this program that was recently named the #1 Best Online Master’s in Data Science Program by Fortune.
With computer science and data science flourishing, Sreyashi can look forward to a career full of potential. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), computer and information technology-related occupations are expected to grow faster than average between 2022 and 2032 [1]. The BLS also estimates the mean annual salary for data scientists is $119,040 [2].
Sreyashi’s pathway is one of two available in the program, as students can pursue either the Master of Computer Science (MCS) or the Master of Computer Science in Data Science (MCS-DS). When asked why she chose the MCS-DS, Sreyashi says that she worked closely with data scientists as a data engineer at Netflix and wanted to discover the impact of their data sets. She adds, “The diverse set of courses piqued my curiosity. I had heard great things from my friends that also took the program.”
Realizing that she could complete the program around her work schedule—and recognizing it was a good value for the cost of tuition—Sreyashi decided to apply. Once she was accepted and enrolled, Data Visualization and Data Mining soon became two of her favorite courses. She especially notes how she could relate what she was learning to her real-life experiences.
Looking back now, Sreyashi tells us, “The program had good course materials, the professors were great, and the fact that it was online gave me the flexibility I needed. The online learning environment gave me as much, if not more, than what I would’ve gotten in an on-campus program.” She continues by noting, “There are resources like Slack that allowed me to connect with other students taking the same courses. I was in study groups with people across the world and it provided a global experience and exposed me to different perspectives.”
After completing the MCS-DS, Sreyashi also has full appreciation for the help she received from university staff and the impact she’s made in her career. She says, “The graduate team really supported me throughout the whole program and gave me the confidence to finish. All of the coursework was relevant, and I was able to apply what I learned directly to my job.”
Sreyashi’s story is a great reminder that when you’re seeing interesting work done by others, you can learn how it’s done and find yourself in an exciting new career. If computer science or data science has captured your imagination too, check out the MCS and MCS-DS from UIUC today and consider the possibilities for your own career.
1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Outlook Handbook- Computer and Information Technology Occupations, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm.” Accessed June 20, 2024.
2. BLS. “Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes152051.htm.” Accessed June 20, 2024.
Learn more about the Master of Computer Science.